Shoe-stretcher.



PATBNTED MAY?, 1907;

Ndl 853,077.

D. W. GODWINn SHOE STRETSHER. APPLIQATION ruim) 3:31a. 18519.07.

j2me/7220,11'

UNiTED sTATEs PATENT OEEiOE.

'DANIEL W. GOODWIN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS..

SHQsTr-IETGHER.

scrip tion, inc'on'iiection witlifI the accomp any--l ing/drawings, is a specification, like characn ters on the drawings representing .like parts.

This invention relates to that class of shoe stretcliers whiclrare formed by dividing the forepart of a last or forni of desired shape into two sections, by sawing the sanief-rom .end to end and top to bottom through the middle thereof, said sections being hinged together at their rear ends, and provided with .a spreadin device. An inexpensive form of spreading evice commonly employed for this purpose comprises a wedge, screw and nut which are loosely held between the sections, so that they may, and often do fall out of position when the sections are opened to a certain extent. .Such occurrences cause iiicOn-l venience, and, moreover, the insertion of the forni into a shoe is rendered seinen-hat more diiiicul't by the tendency of the sections to swing apart.

My invention has for its obect to provide a simple and inearpensive means for hinging the rear end of the sectionstogether which will normally hold said sections in their nor mal position, so that they may be. easily inserted in the shoe, andso that the spreading device will .be constantly held in4 ['iosition,I and which does not so project beyond the surface of the forni., as to interfere with the convenient use thereof. l accomplish these objects by the means shown in the acconipanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 1s a top plan view ofl a slice stretcher or forni provhlod with my inveii-. Fig. 2 .is a bcttcun .plan view of the tion. heel end portirui. ther;`t a .is a longi tudinal section on the me '3--. liig. l. Fig. 4 is an elevation ol' the neel end of the form. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the connecting devicercady to be applied;

As chown in the drawing, the forni or follower crunprises two sections a and. l)

' which are adapted to be vfitted together, the

meetingfaces of saidv sections lying in a plane which extends longitudinally from top to bottom thereof through the middle portion of the forni. Said sectionsare hinged tcether at their 4rear ends in a inamier-which will presently describe. The spreading l means shown is similar to that ordinarily Specicaton of Letters Patent.

ipguanon had yrebnmryia 190i'. serial in. 35 7,885.

i l i Patented may 7, 11907.

employed in devices of this character, comprising the wedge c which is swiveled'on the iront end ofV a screw-threaded rod d, said rod being threaded in a nut mounted in adj af cent recessesforiiied in saidsectionsnear the .rear ends thereof. The adjacent or meeting faces of the sections'are provided with longitudinal grooves in which the wedge c is adapted to move, so that, as the Wed-ge is forced forward,-tlie sections will be swung apart at their front end.

In providing the sections. with a connection made according tojniy invention, I first form a recess f in contiguous portions of said sections by boring from the middle of the bottom thereof closely adjacent the heel end, and before it is split, said recess extending ap# proximately threeefourtlis of the way tothe top. VVli'en the form is split into tW0..sec

tions a and b, as before described, onehalf' the recess next the rear end .is cut away or beveled so that the surface of the recess is substantially continuous with the rear end'surface of each section.

To connect the forni sections according to my invention I provide a strip of spring metal which is stamped or bent so as to. form a circular middle portion gfwhich preferably eX- tends through somewhat more than a semicircle and which is reversely curved at each end and extended to rovide ears g', g2, which, before they are app ied, extend divergently at an acute angle to the adjacent middle portion g, as indicated in Fig. 5. Said middle circular portion g is inserted in the recess j' and the ears g', g2 are rigidly secured to the rear ends of the corresponding sections a, b,

i i i l l l l l by nails or screws lt.

In securing the ears g', g2 to the ends of the sections a, b, they are swung into the same plane and the intermediate spring portion in acting thereon caused the sections to be swung together, said intermediate portion thus performing the double `function of a spring and a hinge.

As the entire spring portion between the ears g', g2 is gradually curved, the possibility of undue strain being placed on any portion thereof, and of the spring being unduly weakened at any point by bending is avoided.'

The spring is practically entirely inclosed by the forni, so that there areno inconvenient projections to interfere with the insertion` and removal thereof in use.

IOO

IIO

Having thus described iny invention,v Whitt I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A shoe form composed of two longitudi-` nel sec'tions'having a recess formed in contiguous portions, and at the heel end thereof, a. spreadmg device disposed between said sections and Ineens: for yieldingly holding said sections together in their normal position comprising a metal strip having an intermediete `curved spring portion -disposed in said recess, and a pair of ears extending in opposite directions from the ends of seid 'spring portions-and res ectively secured to the adj acent ends of sai sections, substantiallyas de- Vscribed.

2.. A shoe form composedof two longitudinel sections having a recess formed contignous portiomendet the heel end thereof, a spreadm device' disposed between said sec--V tions enc means for yielding-ly holding sa i, sections together in their normal position l .comprising a. metal strip having an interme diete curved sprin portion disposed in said recess and reverse y curved at the ends of said portion and extended in o posite directions to form ears, and means o securing said ears tothe adjacent ends of said sections, sub

ystentielly es described. l In testimony whereof, I have signed my 

